Reminiscence

Let me humbly present my new fanfic to you. Back in the first week of May, I was inspired to write again, and I will explain more later. I truly appreciate my friend aya-san ❤ for translating the series of The Myths of Candy Candy Final Story such that I was able to publish this post on time. However, note that this fanfic is written for matured readers, and if any of you find some scenes disturbing or inappropriate, please read at your own discretion.

Disclaimer: Candy Candy and all characters belong to Keiko Nagita (pen name Kyoko Mizuki), images to Yumiko Igarashi and anime to Toei Animation.

Reminiscence

“Papa?”

“Yes?” asks the father, naturally squinting even more when looking down at the crown of his beloved son. The boy’s unruly blond hair shines so bright against the afternoon sun, its glow near blinding.

Upon hearing his father’s reply, the boy turns his small head over his shoulder, his chin pointing up slightly. “Papa, are we there yet? This looks familiar–”

While he’s still talking, their horse unexpectedly raises his head a bit and neighs, as though he is in agreement with the little boy. The father chuckles, his blue eyes scanning their surroundings. Then he faces his son with an understanding smile. “Brandy must have recognized this area too. We can stop here and let him graze the grass to his heart’s desire. Do you think you can walk, Tony?”

“Yay!” he whoops, his heart pounding with excitement. This is it! The enchanted forest is just a few yards away. When his tall father is getting off the horse, Tony can hardly wait for his father to reach out for his tiny body, helping him get down.

After leading Brandy to an oak tree for the lush grassland, the two start walking towards the forest, hand in hand. Then the boy remarks, “Mama must be jealous of us, don’t you agree, Papa?”

His father chortles with amusement. “Why? You know she loves Rosie too.”

Tony responds, a frown marring his good looks, “Of course, I don’t mean that, father.” The man immediately stops in his tracks, squatting down so that his blue eyes are level with his son’s resplendent green orbs. When his son calls him ‘father’, that means he’s serious, so the man gently holds his small shoulders and utters in a soothing voice, “So Tony, would you like to explain why you think your mother is jealous.”

The boy averts his eyes to avoid the piercing ones, stammering, “Well… we always come here every spring, but ever since Rosie was born… when we assumed she could join us once she turned two…”

Just then, some rustling noises in the forest snatch the boy’s attention. “Did you see that, Papa? Something is moving amongst the bushes! Let’s go check!”

The next thing Albert knows, his son loosens his soft grip and makes a dash for the dense woods. He swiftly straightens up, uncertain what animal it may be. As he sees the five-year-old boy disappearing among the bushes, a flicker of worry rises inside him. He runs towards that direction and hollers, “Anthony, wait for me!!”

=o=o=o=

Candy tiptoes into the bedroom to see her lovely Rosie. A smile spreads across her face as she sees that the girl is still fast asleep, like a sleeping beauty. Not long after she was born, Aunt Elroy declared more than once that Rosie was the exact replica of Rosemary, except for her blue eyes, and yet Aunt Elroy wasn’t pleased that her nephew decided to name his daughter after his late sister. He had not listened to his aunt either when naming his firstborn. Even though Aunt Elroy had loved both Rosemary and Anthony very much, the old lady didn’t want another premature death in her family.

Albert actually thought his newborn daughter looked like Candy without the freckles, and he never believed in omens or bad luck, but to make his old aunt feel better, he agreed to call the children by their nicknames.

Sadly, the heir later found out that history was seemingly repeating itself. Unlike his son, who was always full of energy and strength like his mother, Rosie was prone to sickness, possibly because she was a winter baby. When she was a little more than four months old, Albert and Candy made the call together to cancel their annual trip to Lakewood in spring.

This trip was something special to both of them, as Candy was convinced she had been given a new life ever since her first visit to that particular forest with her Prince on the Hill. Early that morning, he had come to Pony’s Home out of the blue, taking Candy to Lakewood and spending an unforgettable day with her. Roughly a year later, she had expressed her wish to revisit that forest, and as newlyweds, he had solemnly promised his dear wife that he would try his best to arrange his schedule such that they could go around the same time every year, when bluebells were blooming and covering the grassland like a violet carpet.

Since then, it had become a ritual, even after giving birth to their son. The couple would spend a night in the mountain lodge, leaving baby Anthony in the villa to the care of his nanny. To their pleasant surprise, as soon as Anthony could walk, he had enjoyed visiting that special place with his parents. When he could read simple stories on his own, he had often fantasized about finding fairies there. Unlike the other family gatherings in Lakewood with the relatives, it was the only time when Tony could climb a tree or two together with his parents!

In short, their son always looked forward to going to their family trip when the snow began to melt. That explains why he was disappointed about the cancellation because his baby sister was ill. Candy took the opportunity to teach him to be less self-centered and more understanding. “Anthony, you should learn from your father. He always cares about my feelings more than his own.”

Another year had passed, but Rosie was still not healthy enough to travel for hours. Neither Albert nor Candy thought it was fair to Anthony to skip another time, so Albert went on a day trip to Lakewood with his son when Candy stayed behind in Chicago. She promised the boy that she would definitely go with them the following year.

Now that Rosie is two years old, she is a bit stronger than before. Yet, she has recovered from her flu just in time for the trip. Otherwise, it would have been a tough decision for her mother, who didn’t have the heart to leave a sick child at home with the nanny. However, the girl was groggy when getting off the family car, and as this was her first time to ever step in Lakewood, her face became pale with fear and uncertainty. She clutched her father’s leg so hard that it hurt, and he understood her feelings and carried her around the well-manicured rose garden. Little did he expect that she actually dozed off in his arms. After he had carefully put her down in bed, he told Anthony that they would stay in the villa till she woke up from her nap, but how could the boy wait any longer? Noting his impatient frown and knowing that Albert was worried that Rosie would be scared waking up in an unfamiliar place, Candy suggested, “How about you go to the forest now with Tony? I’m tired myself.”

In fact, not only the mother had been under the weather, taking care of a sick child earlier with the nanny’s assistance, but the father had just returned from a long business trip in the east coast.

But the boy could barely wait for his mother to finish, already waving his father’s arm with eagerness. “Yes, yes, can we go first, Papa?”

Meanwhile, the smile on Candy’s face grows bigger as her finger strokes Rosie’s cheek ever so lightly. She thanks God in her heart that she has a family she can call her own, and what’s more, her loving husband is not only devoted to her but also to their children. She honestly thinks God has blessed her more than she would ever deserve.

Candy then sits down in the sofa chair near the small bed and starts reading a book, wondering when her princes will return. Deep in her heart, Albert will always be her prince, even though she promised him long ago not to address him as such anymore. In fact, on their wedding night, as they basked in the afterglow after they had consummated their love, she couldn’t help calling him Prince on the Hill with moist eyes. She instantly reassured that she was shedding tears of joy, saying, “Dreams do come true… Who would have thought the orphan girl would be the bride of Prince on the Hill one day?”

She had been eagerly counting down the days to become his wife, and today she had teared up upon hearing his vow before God and everyone in the chapel that “till death do us part”.

Without a word, her Prince on the Hill thoughtfully pulled her closer to him and gave her a tender kiss on the lips. Then he uttered, “Who would have thought the patient of a suspicious origin would win the heart of an angel?”

Having said that, he lay on top of her and began kissing her all over her face, neck and shoulders. At that very moment, she couldn’t have wanted anything else or anything more. He was making love to her again, and she could feel his heart beating faster and faster. She had imagined different things that could occur on their wedding night, but her expectations were nowhere close to the reality. His love was incredibly intense, and she finally understood what it meant by “the two will become one flesh”.

Even to this day, she likes to occasionally address him as Prince on the Hill, but only when they are sharing their intimate moments in bed as a married couple. It’s the only time when he delights in hearing this title and responds by calling her the Royal Highness. She’s careful not to overdo it though, lest he gets sick of it and asks her to stop.

What about their son? Why is he her prince too? Well, the answer can’t be more straightforward. Tony resembles his good-looking father and actually reminds them both of his late cousin, who had died so young. Right then, Candy puts down the book in haste and gets up from the chair. She has to distract herself because she never likes to recall any detail about that fatal accident when she’s alone.

She gently closes the bedroom door behind her. Only then she realizes the nanny is waiting for her in the hallway. “Madam Candice, it’s probably time to wake up Miss Rosie. What do you think?”

Candy tells the nanny to let Rosie rest longer. “We want to tour around the villa with her when she wakes up, and it would be best if she has the energy to enjoy it.”

As the nanny nods, Candy adds, “I’ll go for a stroll myself. I won’t go too far and should be back within half an hour.”

“Great idea, Madam Candice. It’s such a pretty afternoon. I will inform Master William when he returns.”

Nostalgia always hits the young matriarch whenever she gets near the rose gate, so this time she feels like taking a different route — she will go to the Lagan’s villa instead. On her way there, she notices the presence of wildflowers, especially multitudes of bluebells, on both sides of the sidewalk. She’s not the least surprised however. The Lagans have long settled in Miami, and she was told that their gardener only comes once a month to do the bare minimum such that their properties in this area will not appear abandoned.

Not paying much attention to her surroundings, she continues her aimless leisure pace and ends up standing near the river bank, where many years ago she came in the dark to send her message in a bottle to her homeless friend. She giggles as soon as the image of his pirate look surfaces in her mind.

What would have happened to me if I hadn’t met this ‘trespasser’ in the Ardlay’s properties?

At that thought, a long, relieved sigh escapes her throat. Because Albert had recognized her after the rescue and decided to give her a better life by taking her under his wing, he essentially made a decision that significantly affected both of them.

When she returns to the villa, ambling along the familiar path, another question strikes her, what if the Lagans, in particular Neal and Eliza, had treated her well?

Suddenly, a series of distant memories flood her mind — she remembers her first encounter with the siblings, her first fight against Neal, her escape to the rose gate, the Ardlay’s grand party, being locked in the room upstairs, Annie’s visit, and so on.

Just when Candy is in a daze, an ear-rending neigh fills the air. At the sight of Brandy trotting toward her without riders, she’s dumbfounded for few seconds. She doesn’t come to her senses until the brown horse is slowing down in front of her. Only then she realizes that an accident might have occurred. A surge of dread constricts her chest, and yet she saddles up on Brandy without second thought. Horrified, she couldn’t care less of the impropriety of not being properly dressed for horse-riding.

As she directs Brandy to dash in the right direction of where her princes should be, her heart is overflowing with consternation. Although she somewhat regrets for not going to the forest with them, she stubbornly shakes her head to chase away the gloomy thoughts of what could have taken place that caused the horse to return without his masters. As Brandy is striding across the meadow, Candy bites her bottom lip and wipes her eyes, which are brimming with tears, and she keeps praying in her heart, Oh God, please keep them safe from harm.

When Candy gets near, she urges the horse forward with her heel, but to her dismay, Brandy slows down in defiance, as though he’s afraid to go any further. Because of this, panic squeezes against her lungs even more. She has no choice but to dismount, and the first thing she does after that is to take off her nice shoes so that she can run as fast as possible. The horse does not follow her, as expected, but since she knows this part of the forest well, within minutes she finds the shortcut. As she meanders through the woods, she cries at the top of her lungs, “Albert! Albert! Where are you? AAAALLLLBBEEEERT!!!”

Other than her panting, she hears nothing else except for the birds’ chirping and the noises of her feet tramping the rough grounds. Though she is clueless where her princes can be, she refuses to give up, only stopping now and then for a breath.

At long last, she arrives at the area where the bluebells stretch like a carpet fenced by the belts of wild roses. In a distance she sees someone lying motionless on the grass, and the moment she recognizes the lofty figure, her legs collapse under her, no longer able to support her weight.

“Albert!!” she screams, her strength draining fast from her body. “This can’t be true!”

She frantically whirls around, her gaze searching the surroundings for clues to prove herself right, but she is thunderstruck by the undeniable evidence. There’s a trace of blood on the path leading towards where she lands. Not to mention that her young son is nowhere to be found. As she cannot make sense of any of this, she squeals in denial, “Nooooo!!”

Her lips quiver at the frightening fact of having lost two important persons in her life on the same day. At this flabbergasted moment, she’s further struck by the depressing question, how can I live without my Prince on the Hill?

A torrent of tears gushes out of her emerald orbs. She draws in a shuddering breath, then another and another; a wave of despair is washing over her. Little did she tell her prince about the depth of the loneliness of her days in Magnolia during his absence, which had lasted for months, because he felt guilty enough. Neither did she say much about her occasional nightmares in the first two years of their marriage. When he was away from home due to prolonged business trips, the memories of her sleepless nights back in those days could make her wake up and sit bolt upright in bed in the middle of the nights, terrified by her dreams.

Yet, every time he comes home from a trip, she makes a point to let him know his presence alone always gives her a marvelous sense of security. As a matter of fact, she just told him that yesterday when he held her tight in bed after rushing home late last night so as not to postpone this family trip to Lakewood.

With that picture in mind, Candy freezes in disbelief and shock that was their last embrace ever! He wanted intimacy but decided to rein in his desires till they got to the mountain lodge, saving the best for last.

But now…?!!!

This pushes her over the edge. Feeling that she is on the verge of fainting, she fights it back by taking long, measured breaths. I must get up and walk to Albert… he might have fainted… and to find our son… She attempts to pull herself up from the dirts, but she fails in spite of her best efforts. The trees, the bushes, and the flowers are seemingly twirling around her. As her eyelids are involuntarily coming down like curtains, she murmurs, “Albert…”

=o=o=o=

This feels good… hmmmm… is this a sweet dream…?

Candy’s eyes remain closed, vaguely aware of the warmth of some hands touching her sore calves and feet, but the sensations become more acute when some arms squeeze their way underneath her, causing her eyes to shoot open.

“Albert?” she calls his name aloud in bewilderment. A part of her is instantly relaxed because it’s him who is in attempt to scoop her up from the ground. He looks well rested and even more handsome, his complexion particularly ruddy. The late afternoon sun rays behind his head form a halo around his shiny blond hair.

Upon hearing her voice, he looks down at her with an expression of utter relief painted across his face. He’s half kneeling down on the grass, his arms supporting her shoulders and legs, ready to carry her.

“Are we in Heaven, my dear?” She can’t help scrutinizing his features with admiration, despite feeling disoriented.

“Heaven?” he retorts with a chuckle, his eyebrows raised quizzically. Then he helps her sit up on the ground. “What do you mean?”

She’s nonplussed, trying to recall what has transpired before this. Presently he examines her feet, saying, “Candy, you’re bleeding, just as I thought. I heard you screaming and all… I thought I was only dreaming, until I got up and found you here, unconscious… what’s happened? Where are your shoes?”

This successfully reminds her of the pain and agony just now, so she throws both arms around him, which catches him off guard. He almost loses his balance, but when he steadies himself, she cuddles up close to him, burying her face in his shoulder and hugging him so tight as though she would never let him go. In response, he lovingly wraps his arms around her trembling body, asking, “What’s the matter? What makes you so upset?”

“Albert, hold me tighter, will you?” comes her plea in a muffled voice. Wondering if it has anything to do with his late nephew Anthony, he quietly pulls her closer, knowing that it’s not the right time to talk. Oblivious to him, she is tremendously grateful. Yes, she has overreacted, and while she’s still scared of her own imagination, she feels indescribably safe just to smell his familiar fragrance and hear him breathe, feeling his regular breath on her hair.

Not until she has calmed down does she become aware of something important. Candy softly pushes herself away from Albert and asks, “Where’s Tony?”

“Mama,” comes the boy’s voice. “I am right behind you.”

Yet when she turns her head towards the sound, she sees something else among the bluebells. “A cat?”

“Yes, Madam Ardlay, it’s my cat, my companion,” says a middle-aged man when he steps forward. Candy looks up and recognizes him as Mr. Whitman, a nephew of their previous gardener. Years ago he came back from volunteering in the great war, shell-shocked, so Albert hired him to be the ranger of this forest. His focus is this area. Mr. Whitman is carrying little Tony in his arms, whose knees are heavily bandaged.

The mother draws in a sharp breath. “Tony, want to come to my side?” She beckons him over, her arms outstretched towards him.

Only then the ranger approaches the couple. When Tony gets down next to his mother, she immediately gives him a motherly hug. Right away, he’s smiling ear to ear, and his grin somehow manages to lift up everyone’s mood.

Presently Albert says, pointing at her stockinged feet, “Candy, we should take care of your wounds too.”

Thus, Mr. Whitman picks up the boy and invites them all to his nearby lodge for some coffee, where he has the first-aid kit. As they lead the way, the cat follows along. Needless to say, Albert doesn’t let his wife walk, so he carries her piggyback, which amuses the boy. He has never seen his mother more embarrassed than she is now. To distract him, she asks, “So can someone tell me how Tony got hurt?

Albert answers in a neutral tone, “‘It all began with the cat.”

Tony spotted the cat under the bushes, and the cat got annoyed when he came too close, so it ran away from him. Yet the boy managed to keep up, and the cat scurried away faster and faster. Without knowing where it was heading, it almost collided with their unguarded horse! The cat defensively clawed a couple of the horse’s hooves, scaring it away.

Distracted by the commotion, Tony didn’t realize the cat was leaping up a tree. He could see its tiny face peeking down between the branches high up there, and deliberately ignoring the warnings from his father, he accepted the cat’s challenge and started climbing. But the boy was not as nimble as the cat, and by the time he had climbed to the fifth branch, he was still far from the treetop, where the cat was.

“Tony, want me to help?” asked his father below.

The boy shook his head. “Papa, I can do it.”

Unfortunately for him, when he reached the next branch, the cat saw his master from afar and leaped down the other side. Discouraged, the boy followed nonetheless, but he slipped and scraped his knees. It hurt so much that his eyes were filled with tears at once. When Albert examined the cuts, he could spot roughly half a dozen splinters on the boy’s legs. Just then, the ranger came to them to offer his help, “Sir Ardlay, please let me help clean up the mess. It’s Shadow’s fault, really.”

Shadow was the cat’s name. He was actually shy and wouldn’t easily trust humans. Because of Mr. Whitman’s reproach, the cat was willing to let Tony pet him, and the boy almost forgot about his pain. Yet, Shadow was frightened when Albert trailed after them, possibly due to his towering figure. After a few attempts, the tall man exclaimed with wounded pride, “I can hardly believe this! It’s my first defeat ever.”

Now that Shadow was somewhat tamed, Tony was reluctant to leave him and wanted to follow the ranger to the lodge himself. Hence, he pleaded, “Papa, please, I’ll be brave.” Mr. Whitman then pointed to his lodge, saying, “You see, Sir Ardlay, it’s just there. I’ll be back with the young master in no time.”

Therefore, Albert let them go and decided to take a long-awaited nap. The business trip had been grueling to say the least, and he truly wanted to spend some quality time with his beautiful wife tonight. Before long, he succumbed to sleep, and his slumber was so deep that he looked frozen like a statue.

Roughly half an hour after the group has settled at the lodge for coffee, a search party arrives with a carriage. The nanny had a hunch something must have gone wrong, and Rosie has come with her too, because she didn’t want to stay in the villa with strangers. The little girl is very shy at first, but when she sees both her parents here, she instantly rushes to their side, her eyes lit up. After getting a hug from her mother, she asks to sit on her father’s lap. The girl adores her father and is usually content just to be in close proximity to him, but not this time. Her big brother paces in and out of the lodge to walk behind the cat, and though the feline friend appears aloof, leaping up and down for his own entertainment, the cat seems to enjoy the boy’s dedicated attention. The more Rosie observes the more she wants to join her brother. When she does, Tony welcomes her, and before long, they burst into fits of unadulterated giggles or laughters, having loads of fun simply by following Shadow around. Apparently, the kids are very fond of the cat.

The nanny smilingly says to Candy, “Madam Candice, please feel free to leave with Master William anytime.” The nanny knows that they’d love to spend some private time in the mountain lodge by the waterfall.

The couple exchange a glance before the husband agrees to let Candy ride Brandy back to the villa. He will walk along with them. When hugging their children, they bid everyone “good evening” before leaving the place. Candy finds her shoes on their way, and after picking up the small luggage prepared prior to the trip, they head straight to the mountain lodge, rowing a boat down the river like they usually do.

The next morning, Candy is roused from her dreams with a start when some birds are flying past their bedroom windows. She can clearly hear them flapping their wings. At this moment, the sun peeks through the curtains, heralding another sunny day.

She gradually turns sideway so as not to disturb her endearing husband’s repose. He looks charming even with his eyes closed, and because of his striking blue eyes, she doesn’t usually have the leisure to admire his long eyelashes. Not to mention he’s normally an early riser, but today is understandably an exception. For the first time in months she does not have to get dressed before a certain time to have breakfast together with Aunt Elroy. Though they are on good terms with each other now, Candy the sleepyhead sometimes feels like sleeping in.

So, here she is going to spend a lazy morning. She will do nothing but stay warm in bed, reminiscing about the events since the late evening yesterday. Because of this, her smile naturally grows into a gleaming beam of light.

Little Bert must be exhausted…

Candy recalls how he insisted on giving her a piggyback ride after getting off the boat to go up a small hill to watch the glorious sunset. After that, she resumed her ride on their way to the lodge, in spite of her mild protests. The cuts on her left foot weren’t as serious as he had thought, thanks to the thick stockings he had bought from London before last Christmas.

Then he carried her through the threshold in his arms, making her laugh with merriment. Once they were inside, he put her down on a cushioned chair and urged her to relax while he prepared for their dinner. He always asked her to let him do all the cooking when there were no prying eyes, saying that it was not only his privilege but also a way to commemorate their heartwarming life in the House of Magnolia. Besides, he had ordered the ingredients ahead of time, so he had everything planned.

After the scrumptious dinner, he cleaned up and washed all the dishes, saying he shouldn’t let his dishwashing skills get rusty. When he could finally slow down, it was pitch-dark outside. They didn’t mind, of course, as the servants had already prepared candles in every corner, and they are there not only for decorations. Besides, candle-lit atmosphere was more romantic.

As in the previous years, the couple bathed together to wind down, something which they had been looking forward to. Not that they couldn’t do it in their private bathroom in the Chicago mansion, but in this house they were the only two, so they could really take their time to indulge themselves without worrying about anyone interrupting them for any reason.

Candy casually left her bandaged leg dangling outside of the bathtub when Albert was carefully washing her curly hair to get rid of the dirts. Then she did the same for him. When done, they were busy wiping each other dry with towels, but Candy’s hands unknowingly slowed down when her gaze couldn’t help wandering all over her husband’s perfect male body. She had missed him terribly. The business trip had lasted nearly a fortnight after all.

She wasn’t the only one struggling with the current task. Albert took frequent pauses in between his movements. He had missed being intimate with his dear wife, and it was immensely difficult to resist the impulse and keep his hands off her voluptuous figure. The fact that her hair was dripping wet wasn’t helping either. He swallowed audibly when he found himself helplessly watching the water droplets gliding along her porcelain skin.

While he was grappling with the drying chore, her body tingled all over with heightened anticipation under his heated stare. Not unintentionally, she let go of the towel, her hands reaching out to touch him. Already aroused to the point of pain, her sudden action tore apart what was left of his self-restraint. He immediately dropped the towel and closed his arms around her, pressing his lips against hers.

When his soft lips met hers, she returned his kiss, running her hands up and down his smooth back. When he deepened the kiss, burying his hands in her voluminous hair, her body melted like wax near a hot flame. In no time she leaned her full weight against him, and he broke the kiss and scooped her up, bringing her to bed. This was by far the most profound experience of passion she’d ever had in her life. As usual, the entire process involved both her body and soul, but she made conscious effort to pour all her love to her prince through her eager responses to his kisses and caresses. When he emitted a loud groan after satisfying her and collapsed right beside her with his face down, she couldn’t possibly express her ineffable joy.

Some moments later, he turned and lay on his back, wrapping his arm around her shoulders. Knowing that he loved to smell her hair, she nestled her head on his broad chest, her fingers lightly tracing the scars left by the lion. It was then she asked him, “Have you ever thought about this… Little Bert. What if both Neal and Eliza had been nice to me?”

He suddenly became solemn and pensive, but he soon broke the silence, “Why? You would still get to meet my nephews, wouldn’t you?”

She agreed, facing him, “I think so, and we might all be happy together even.”

“Wait a minute, you sounded far from being excited about it. What’s on your mind, Candy?”

He shifted his position such that they could snuggle under the sheets, facing each other. When he looked her in the eyes, something dawned on him. “Oh… if that had been the case, you would not have escaped by taking the small boat down the river?”

She merely nodded, resting her head against his shoulder. Falling into deep thoughts, he slid his arm around her without a word, and she snuggled in closer. After some silence, what he said next startled her.

“Maybe you would be better off without having met the vagabond, Candy.”

She immediately propped herself up on one elbow, her eyes widened in disbelief. With an awkward smile on his face, he tenderly brushed her hair behind her ear and added in a calm tone, “You would meet Granduncle William in due time, you know.”

She swiftly shook her head in disagreement. “But it’s not the same!”

“And yet…” he began, his countenance thoughtful and somewhat melancholy. They both knew that fate had brought them together. The chance encounter near the waterfall had been the turning point in their lives, and the two would have taken totally separate paths if the accident had not occurred.

“And yet?” she echoed, sounding slightly apprehensive.

Not until she repeated after him, staring at him in puzzlement, did he bring this up, “It was Anthony, wasn’t it, Candy?”

Her jaw dropped when he had seemingly changed the topic. She was obviously unable to grasp his words. He then sat up and planted a peck on her forehead. “Anthony, my nephew. Was he the reason why you were terribly upset this afternoon? That you were bothered by the what-if scenario and realized he wouldn’t have di-”

He was interrupted by her kisses covering his mouth. She loved him so much that she refused to let him continue what he was going to say about Anthony. She clutched her arms around his neck, fully aware that her prince was never jealous of his late nephew. On the contrary, he said all this just because he wanted to understand her feelings and what had troubled her earlier during the day. Albert was her everything now, and above all Candy wanted to grow old with him. It would only ruin their relationship if either of them fancied what would have happened if Anthony had been alive.

Though taken aback by her emotional reactions, he was considerably moved by the intensity of her genuine love for him. To reassure her that he needed her more than she could ever fathom, he clasped her petite body in his arms and claimed her lips with greater demand. Deep down inside he could not, nor was he willing to, conceive of his life without her. In short, the adversities she had endured with the Lagans had been blessings in disguise, at least for him.

The incident earlier today was some sort of wake-up call to both — tragedy could take place anytime anywhere. They should cherish each other while they could. As a result, their desires flared, and they surrendered to their cravings. When it was over, their bodies were slick with sweat.

With their appetite satiated, they slipped between the sheets, pulling back the covers on the bed. Since the temperature had plummeted, they guessed it must have passed midnight by now. The candles were all out, and weak moonlight seeped through the windows, providing a hazy glow. Yet, they lingered in the afterglow, lost in the warmth of each other’s bodies.

As they let exhaustion take its course, Candy thought it was about time to provide the details of the ordeal, revealing that the mere sight of Albert lying on the forest ground had been enough to throw her off balance. “I was at my wits’ end, and the realization that Tony was missing somehow reinforced that, that you…” She faltered, eyeing him inquiringly with a sheepish smile.

“Sorry,” said her husband ruefully. Oh… so it was about me… not Anthony…

Aloud he said sincerely, “I’m sorry to have put you through this.”

“No, it’s not your fault, Little Bert,” she responded with a sigh, cuddling him. “Just blame it on my wild imaginations.”

He chortled, and she joined him. The lightness of their mood eased into a warm embrace and a goodnight kiss. They whispered “I love you” to each other before giving in to sleep.

In her dreams, Candy saw herself being bullied by Neal and Eliza. They were mocking at her, tossing her precious badge around. “A treasure like this does not suit an orphan girl like you,” Neal jeered. He held the badge high and shook it to make it ring, tantalizing Candy.

Then Eliza grabbed it from him and said with a smirk, “So it’s mine to keep. It has the Ardlay insignia after all. Nobody will ever believe it belongs to the poor girl.”

As Eliza walked away, Candy burst out crying. Just then, the tears on her cheeks miraculously transformed into sparkling crystals. Neal gaped like a goldfish and stumbled backward in fear. This was when Candy woke up.

Yes, those many tears that I shed back then have become glittering, beautiful memories to me now. Thanks to them, I got to meet the most important person in my life.

The sun is high up in the sky for the time being, and as she lies awake beside him, listening to the sound of his steady breathing, happiness suffuses her. It’s so wonderful to be alive with the man you love!

With a satisfied smile on her face, she supposes it should be her turn to serve him. She then quietly rolls out of bed, putting on her morning robe. As she pulls herself up to a standing position, she’s careful not to apply too much pressure on her left foot. Before leaving the room however, she casts a fleeting glance at the sleeping prince, only to find his blue pools of light glistening.

“Where are you going, my love?”

Giving him a mischievous wink, she answers in a matter-of-fact tone, “To make breakfast for Little Bert.”

THE END

=o=o=o=

Thanks for reading! Tragedies do happen. Cherish your loved ones while you can, my friends.

It has taken me a long time to write due to real life responsibilities, and I might have made mistakes or typos here and there (please kindly let me know). Anyway, I hope you have enjoyed it. 😍

I want to thank Reeka ❤ for sending me the picture of the beautiful girl. You might think she looks older than 2 years old, but you don’t mind I used an older girl picture for this fanfic, do you? 🙂 Moreover, if you have read my previous series Did Candy find her happiness, you might remember that bluebells are blooming throughout the month of May in my city. One day, I happened to find my neighbor’s cat among the bluebells when I passed by, and I quickly snapped a picture. This cat likes to wander around, and I’ve seen it on the street a few times already.

Before long, a new story formed in my mind about Albert and Candy being parents, and I think it’s good timing as we celebrate Father’s day tomorrow (at least in North America). My reference is Candy’s own retrospection in CCFS Volume 2, p.199, about a lot of tears shed when living with the Lagans:

あの日々、たくさん流した涙は、今はきらめくような美しい思い出になった。

Then I took more pictures in my neighborhood for the rest of the month for this fanfic. Do you like them? 😀